Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Now I know what you are thinking- Lynne, you crazy girl, why in the heck should anyone be glow-in-the-dark? It's simple: there are a lot of things to be gained by being glow-in-the-dark. 1) Safety- In fact the whole idea of us glowing came from this concern. Saturday night I was driving my friend home after the movies, it was raining and dark out. Low visibility, all in all, and then bam! I see this little kid, playing out in the rain, near a highway, late at night. I practically didn't see him. Now think- if he was glow-in-the-dark- he would have been seen. Safety! Plus all the runners who work out early morning/late night. People who deliver early morning newspapers. The list of potential people who can be helped with safety- is endless!2) Comfort- Comfort? Heck yes- no need for nite-lights any longer! Your children and sooth themselves to sleep! Sweet deal!3) Peace of mind- Say- your kids are out in the backyard playing, it gets dark you can't see them- oh wait! yes you can- they glow!4) Awesomeness- Plus it is really really cool!

So I have had an interesting day already. This morning was I just getting ready to start the dishes, yes- I am awesome and have been cleaning them on a regular basis, then: knock, knock, knock... Two employees of the store underneath my apartment- Radio Shack, they say there is water dripping into their store. Naturally I have the incriminating sound of running water in the background, but I promise them it isn't coming from my place. They leave and call the landlord- I heard a lot of movement next door so I assume they found the leak in the apartment next door. The story is I stopped doing the dishes, and I promised myself I wouldn't make any more food until I did the dishes so finally tonight I finished them. I also started a baking project- I have some visitors for the weekend, so they should get excited!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Friday, April 24, 2009

Alyson recently asked me what I thought about the change in looks of movie star Patrick Swayze. Earlier this year Mr. Swayze announced he was suffering from pancreatic cancer, still fighting it, and hoping to continue to work on his new show: The Beast (on A&E). The media has reported a few times his unhealthy appearance and he has been in and out of hospitals all year. For many of us Patrick Swayze's heyday was Dirty Dancing- oh all those shirtless scenes, or even Ghost. So I think it is fair to say that he isn't going to look so smoking hot, 20 years later, regardless of health. As Alyson said he is 56- so you know not a complete loss in Hollywood standards yet. But I think his health has taken a definite toll. I can say I liked him in Dirty Dancing, but really haven't seen him in anything since- so yeah I like him dancing it up but never thought he was that good looking in anything else. Any thoughts? Some die hard fans our there?

A Merchant Ivory film based on the novel of the same name. The story is about Lucy, a young Englishwoman, traveling aboard in Florance with her spinster cousin as a chaperon. Lucy and her cousin Charlotte were promised "a room with a view" but were not given one at the hotel they are staying at in Florence. As Charlotte complains about this mix-up at the dinner table, the eccentric Mr. Emersons (Father and son) offer to trade rooms with them, being men they have no use for their view. Charlotte is shocked by their forwardness and rejects the offer, although she is later convinced to accept. The Mr. Emersons are viewed as unusual and not accepted all of the hotel patrons, however Lucy frequently runs into them when visiting various locations around Florence, she is polite to them, although a little put off by their unique-ness. One afternoon Lucy witnesses a violent murder of an Italian in a square, George Emerson (the son) is their and catches her as she faints. They walk back to the hotel together and talk at length. Charlotte does not approve of the Emersons and encourages Lucy to avoid them. One day several hotel guests including, the Emersons, Lucy and her cousin, a female novelist, and English clergymen Mr. Bebbe, travel to the Florence country side. George and Lucy end up alone in a field of violets, overcome George kisses Lucy, but her cousin Charlotte sees and forces Lucy and George to promise to never speak of the incident to anyone. The movie next picks up in England, at the home of Lucy. Lucy has just been proposed to by Cecil, a English gentleman she met when traveling in Rome, she accepts, although it is clear her brother Freddy does not approve of Cecil. In a bit of fate the Emersons have just taken lease of house in the neighborhood, being recommended to it by Cecil- although neither realize the connection they share with Lucy. George and Freddy become easy friends, and Freddy invites George over to play tennis. Cecil reads out loud to everyone a scene from a novel that is strikingly familiar to the kiss George and Lucy shared in Florence. George sneaks off and kisses Lucy again. Lucy realizes that the novelist they met in Florence has written the book and her cousin Charlotte must of told her about the kiss. Angered, she forces Charlotte to witness as she tells George to leave and never come back. George argues with her, saying Cecil could never love her the way he did. Lucy still sends him away. Later that evening angry with Cecil, Lucy breaks off her engagement with him. She plans to escape the country and travel to Greece with some friends she might while in Florence. Before she leaves she speaks with Mr. Emerson (the father) and confesses she has been in love with George all along. George and Lucy marry. The film picks with George and Lucy honeymooning in Florence at the hotel where they met.

My thoughts: Great little romance, classic story- I have seen one other adaptation that had Lucy act as the Narrator looking back- but it took some liberties with the story having George die in WWI. Only weird thing is during place or time jumps in the film it put up a screen that would read: Lucy lies to Cecil, (etc) using these scenes to narrate a little. Helen Bonham Carter- stars as Lucy, you will recognize the rest of the cast as well, Daniel Day-Lewis is Cecil. Maggie Smith is Charlotte. Judy Dench is the novelist. But for the most part excellent film, I preferred this version over the more recent remake BBC did.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Does anyone else out there watch BONES? This week and last they have been showing two episodes a week (love!) Monday's episode: Bones is convinced that a co-worker was murdered instead of died at natural causes. She discovers this fact only at his funeral, forcing them to go undercover to solve it. So instead of talking about murder all day at his wake they substitute Translation for Murder. Maybe it is just me but I loved all the moments, there were several, when Bones is talking to Booth and goes: "Booth, we are talking about translation!" to drive home that this is serious. Ok maybe just me but I love it!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Not the movie, (you know, the one that made everyone realize their love for Elizabeth Shue) the real deal. Last Friday I had the privilege of babysitting for two of my favorite people in the world. Things started out smoothly, Laura left us coloring, and Dallas was entertaining himself. Emily, little leader that she is, was directing which colors I could use and where I could be coloring, which is cool, I can take orders from a 2 1/2 year old. (She did prefer I color with purple- because it matched my shirt) It slowly started to creep toward lunch time and after a few minutes of questioning my little boss, we decided a PB&J sandwich would be ok. At this time Dallas wasn't entertaining himself anymore, so I decide to take him with me. The people watcher in Em, apparently could not handle that, both Dallas and I had escaped her watch so came to join us. Which ended up being very helpful - she knows where everything in the kitchen was. This is where things got a bit hairy- Dallas refused to be put down, being held was the only option. Have you ever made a PB&J sandwich with one hand? Not so easy. Plus I had my little boss carefully watching my every move. I quickly learned that although I was raised along side Laura, I perhaps did not my sandwich making skills from her.Lynne: Do you want Peanut Butter on both sides?Em: (This part is mostly a questioning look, shakes head)Lynne: Ok like this? (PB on one side of bread)Em: Yes(I go get a spoon for the Jelly)Em: What are you getting that for?Lynne: Because I don't want to get P.B. into the Jelly.Em: My mommy doesn't do it like that.Lynne: Oh, well it will still taste good.Em: I want a small plate (I had the big plates out)Lynne: Ok I will put it on a small plate. Do you like it cut in half?Em: That isn't how my mommy does it...Lynne: Does she fold it in half?Em: (Shakes head)Lynne: (Holding bread out to her) How does she do it?Em: Like this (Open faced) but I like it bigger.Lynne: (How do I make a single piece of bread bigger?) Ok... Lets get you some raisins, you want to eat those while I finish this?Em: Yes- no not those kind, this kind (big jar)(Em- finally sitting down, I am finishing sandwich, that is after Dallas spits up on me)Em: My mommy heats it up for me, I want it heated up!Lynne: Ok I will do it over, (Looking for toaster, can't find) Em, does mommy put it in the microwave?Em: NoThis is where I decide to lie to her, tell her I heated it up, give her Cheetos to distract, and convince to eat half a banana. Things went pretty smoothly after that, I rocked Dallas to sleep and managed to grab a few bites!

Just right now Chris Pine can do no wrong- He has single handily convinced me to go see the new Star Trek movie. So gorgeous- I can care less about the plot (which is probably making my brother-in-law cringe a bit, he is and always has been a huge fan) but I will go, and no doubt enjoy based on this guys baby blues! Another movie I am COMPLETELY excited to see- (can you tell by my use of online yelling?) Terminator Salvation! My love for Terminator, is in all ways, opposite of my fascination with Star Trek, I love Terminator (the whole franchise). I have deeply steeped myself in all the mythology and background. Seen every movie, multiple times, watched the TV show, etc. And I will pay close, close attention to details of the plot. I cannot get enough. May is pretty much going to rock my world!

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Friday, April 17, 2009

Ok, Ok I know I asked all of you loyal readers what should be the next show I start to watch. And really I did intend to listen, but frankly your advice made me sad :( So, suck it, I found the next big thing, and I am FREAKING excited about it. Behold: GLEE, rejoice! this is what I will be doing in May.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

The Lucky Ones is a story about 3 army soldiers returning from deployment in the Iraq conflict after suffering injuries. T.K. (Pena)- was shot and the shrapnel injuring him the groin area (if you know what I mean) leaving him some lasting effects. He does not want to tell his fiance (also in the army) about the injury, until he is recovered. On a 30 day leave to the U.S. he plans to go the Vegas and have some, eh, professionals, (again if you know what I mean) help him work on the problem. Colee (McAdams) sustained a injury in her leg, she is also on a 30 day leave, and also intends to travel to Vegas to meet her boyfriend's parents and return a family guitar to them, her boyfriend was killed in action protecting her. Cheaver (Robbins) an older reservist was injured when a porta-john fell on him during a camp set up, crushing several vertebrae in his back, although he sustains an injury it turns out to be a good thing, only a few days later his unit is killed in action. They all meet each other on the plane back to the U.S. As they fly into JFK, they find all of the flights out are canceled because of a storm in the northeast. Cheaver plans to get a rental car and driver to St. Louis- T.K. and Colee tag along planning to fly out to Vegas from St. Louis. They get a break at the rental counter because of their service in Iraq and get the last vehicle that was supposed to held for a boss. Throughout their drive they are commonly treated to people who thank them for their service. At a stop in a bar on the way to St. Louis Colee starts a fight with some college girls who make fun of how she walks because of her injury. T.K. and Cheaver rush to help her, and the three bond from their experience. When they get to St. Louis Cheaver's wife reveals to him that she is leaving him. His teenage son excitedly tells him that he got into Stanford University, but needs $20,000 dollars in the next 3 weeks to secure his spot. Cheaver overwhelmed with all the changes occurring freaks out, T.K. and Colee work to calm him, and become increasing concerned that he will be moved to violence or hurt himself. Instead of flying to Vegas, T.K. and Colee stay with Cheaver as he drives to Salt Lake to see his brother. They get into a car accident on the way and Colee's wound reopens, T.K. being a medic helps patch her up at a local clinic and they bond more. As they are waiting for the rental van to be fixed Colee wonders into a mega church and seeks the pastors/lords help in solving the trio's problems. They get invited to share a meal/birthday party of an extremely wealthy member of the church. Cheaver's confidence finally makes a rebound when beautiful women comes on to him at the party. T.K. and Colee cannot find Cheaver and decided they will have to stay the night, they go to the guest rooms and hear, eh hmm, yeah, where Cheaver is. As Cheaver is getting intimate with the women from the party, her husband comes to join them. T.K., Colee, and Cheaver- flee. Cheaver gets a call from his son, who says he found a way to get the money he needs for school by enlisting in the Army and getting his signing bonus. Cheaver tells him not to do it, and becomes more desperate to find a way to get the money his son needs. In Denver, Colee stops, and has the guitar appraised - she finds out that it is worth $20,000. T.K. encourages her to give the guitar to Cheaver- because it will solve his money problems and allow his son to attend Standford. Colee want to be able to help him, feels she is not able to because of her loyalty to her boyfriend, feeling his family deserves the guitar. Cheaver says that he cannot take the guitar anyway. Colee breaks down a little in the car, and in order to cheer her up, T.K. and Cheaver agree to stop and do some sightseeing. While they are stopped in a park, Colee encounter three women, who are , eh, professionals. She enlists their help to cure T.K. Although T.K. reluctantly agrees, he freaks out and claims he needs to eat food first so he goes to the store, Colee tagging along. On the way to the store, T.K. and Colee drive straight into a tornado, they hide in a drainage pipe. And Colee and T.K. discover he is "cured" Finally they all get to Vegas. T.K. is getting on plane to see his fiance and plans to return to the army. Something Cheaver strongly discourages him to do. T.K. seems to have doubts but cannot find a way out, unwilling to disappointment his family who are all in the military as well. Colee, finds her boyfriends parents, only to discover that he had a very young child. Disappointed she leaves asking to take the guitar with her. Cheaver plans to gamble to earn the $20,000 needed for his son's school. On the strip he is stopped by an Army recruiter telling him it is never to late to join. In the end they all end up returning to the army and meet up again waiting for their flight back overseas.

My thoughts- It was a pretty good movie, many funny and touching parts. As I have never been in the Army and only know a few who have been, I cannot attest to how accurate the experiences are. It it is worth a look!

So I have been writing blog posts in my head pretty much all week. You may have noticed I didn't actually write any of them down. Apparently my peak creativity is at work at like 3 :30 a.m.- which makes it impossible to actually write it down. I am not great at follow through at 9:30 a.m. This is why you lovely people haven't been getting posts this week. This week has been kind of same ol' same ol'- Today I finally finished most of my Christmas stocking (only back stitching left, which we all know is the worst part). I want to just get creative and put lines where ever I feel like, but it would be a shame to ruin my stocking when it is right at the end just because I am getting tired of following directions. I am getting pumped up for the weekend. I will be in Ames- haircut, babysitting, veishea, friends, cinco de mayo mini tour. I am going to live it up!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Anyone else hear that Angel Cabrera won the Masters and thought; "wow what is some crappy singer doing winning something?" Nope? Just me? - oh well... (by the way after some time thinking, and I admit one bit of googleing- Ryan Cabrera (a singer) and Angel Ashley Parker (a singer)- who both appeared on different, but equally crappy MTV reality shows.- thank you pop culture for making me useless)

Sunday, April 12, 2009

So today's addition of Silent Sunday isn't so silent. One year ago today I was in Italy touring the sites with my best friend Shea. These were some of the highlights. To celebrate Easter- what could be more fun than a re-shoot with Peeps? Nothing! -clearly a superior Easter candy. Happy Easter!

Friday, April 10, 2009

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a comedy crime who-done-it that was supposed to be Robert Downey Jr's comeback vehicle in 2005 (before it finally happened with Iron Man and Tropic Thunder). In the movie Downey is Harry, a self aware forgetful narrator. Harry is a robber who's partner gets shot during heist and as he runs from the cops he stumbles into a movie addition and the character he reads for has an alarmingly similar background causing his real emotions to be mistaken for genuine acting skills. He is both spared from the cops and sent to Hollywood to attend parties and screen tests. In LA Harry attends a party where he meets "Gay" Perry, a real life private investigator who will work with Harry to improve his acting and has a brush with his dream girl, one who reminds him of an unattainable girl from high school. This girl. Harmony, actually turns out to be THE unattainable girl from high school, Harry served as her confidant and she got involved with every other guy in school. Harmony has a past she is running from, her father was nightly abusing her younger sister and at age 16, she left it all for Hollywood and to pursue her dream of acting. During Harry's work with Perry, he and Perry stumble upon an actual murder. They flee the scene, Harry gets a call from the police saying that Harmony has killed herself. It turns out that it was actually Harmony's little sister who killed herself, a fact that Harmony refuses to believe. Harmony believing that Harry is a P.I. enlists his help to solve the mystery of her sister's death. Harry is unable to tell Harmony the truth, not wanting to lose contact with her, at the same time he finds the murdered girl he and Perry saw earlier in the shower of his hotel room. The plots of the seemingly two unrelated crimes merge and mix and strangely follow the same plot structures of old detective crime stories Harmony and Harry read as children.

My thoughts- very funny, Robery Downey Jr. is in a classic role. Val Kilmer and Downey mix well together on screen. The plot turns are interesting and unexpected. Check out Michelle Monaghan before she hit it big with Made of Honor and Eagle Eye.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

It turns out you guys think I watch to much TV. Which to be honest makes me a little sad. Because we haven't even touched the iceberg of the things I watch. In other news, I am still freaking everyone out with my cold voice and coughing. Also realizing how hard it is to eat when you cannot breathe through your nose.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

I really really wanted to include this photo in silent sunday- in fact it is the whole reason I took it. But I wasn't sure if anyone would be able to see what I saw. So here goes. Last night I am walking back to my apartment from my car. I see two teenagers all dressed up getting out of a car- "oh must be Pella Prom night" So I creepily decided to take their picture from afar. They were being pretty cute- she was fixing something on his jacket. I am sure the flash alerted them to me! This morning while I was out taking some wet silent sunday photos- I saw some kids still dressed in their prom clothes driving around the square. Fun stuff!

Friday, April 3, 2009

Today hasn't quite gone my way. I woke up with my throat on fire- and unfortunately it has suck with me all day. I heard some movie critic say The Hannah Montana movie was the best he had seen of 2009- which makes me want to like move to England- or somewhere they don't care about stupid young pop stars that make bad role models to girls (which to be fair probably isn't England). I am also watching FNL- and I am more than a little heart broken they lost state- only in the last 6 seconds too. Still - Tim Riggins and I might run away together! Another plus- I am getting dangerously close to finishing my Christmas Stocking. My dishes have managed to be cleaned regularly for almost two weeks straight now. And hopefully tomorrow I will wake up tomorrow a O.K.

This weeks pick: Happy-go-luckyHappy-go-lucky is about perpetually happy London primary school teacher, named Poppy. Her cheerfulness and happiness is the type the tends to grate on people rather than cheer them. She cannot resist attempting to make cheerful conversation with strangers, and when they strangers attempt to disengage it only makes her try harder. Always encouraging them to "stay happy". When she finds her bike stolen she cheerfully decides she will take driving lessons instead of buying another bike. Her mode of transportation in the meanwhile (the bus) seems like one grand adventure for her. She laughs when the crowded bus pushes her to and fro. Poppy definitely marches to the beat of her own drummer- expressing her personality through her clothes, and teaching style. Her driving instructor, Scott, on the other hand is a very serious person. taking his job as an instructor with the up most seriousness. He and Poppy instantly clash. He doesn't understand why she could be so happy, and takes her cheerfulness as a lack of concentration on learning. Poppy is not a naive happy person, she is fully aware of how her actions are effecting others- and she seems to get a kick of trying to wind people up even more. This is exactly how she reacts to her driving instructor, every time he tries to make her concentrate or be serious and she only playfully tries even harder to tease. Poppy completely unafraid to try new things, she hurts her back on a trampoline, and joins flamenco lessons with a co-worker (where she looks completely out of place with her bright colors and boots), and having spent the past ten years teaching around the world with her flatmate. As her driving lessons continue she learns that she is not the only student that annoys her instructor, another he complains is rude and thinks he knows everything- compelling him to throw the boy out and have him find another instructor. He also teaches her about the pyramid the mirrors make in the car and the eye at the top of the pyramid, en-ra-hah, which he refers to constantly through the lessons. At school Poppy notices one of she students becoming increasingly violent to others and has a social worker come in and speak to him. As they are meeting with the student the quietly flirt with each other. And as she walks him out of the school the playfully plan to see each other again. One Sunday as she and her flatmate return from visiting her ultra serious sister in the country, Poppy spies Scott watching and waiting on the street where she lives- as she moves to wave at him he runs away. Poppy looks for but cannot find him, and ponders why he was there. The next week Poppy meets Tim, social worker, for their first date. The joke and play through the whole experience clearly enjoying themselves. They find themselves back at Tim's flat and continue their sweet form of playfulness throughout their first night together. The next morning Poppy worries that she will be late for her driving lesson- Tim offers to give her a lift, so he can stay with her a little longer. Poppy rushes to get ready and she and Tim meet Scott just in time for lessons. Scott clearly reacts badly to seeing Poppy and Tim together and rushes to the car. Tim gives Poppy a long kiss and promises to call her. As their lesson begins Scott is driving and clearly agitated. He speeds through traffic and makes poor decisions to pass others. As it is Poppy's turn to drive she just sits in the seat saying that the lesson is over and not permitting Scott to drive anywhere. In a rare glimpse of Poppy's serious side she recounts all of the reasons Scott should not be driving- may of the same ones he has used on her in the past- how he is endangering his life, hers, and other drivers. Scott continues to rage- not able to believe that Poppy will not give him the keys to his own vehicle. He cases her demanding the keys back. It is not until she threatens to call the police that he stops and and finally verbalizes why he is so angry. He tells Poppy that she was never taking this seriously, that she was just trying to mess with him the whole time, entrap him, wearing the ridiculous clothes and saying silly things, all in an effort to drive him crazy and that she didn't care to learn at all. Poppy is shocked - she asks him to sit in the car with her and they can talk about it. In the car he asks- "Same time next week?" and she just shakes her head no. He says "In am a good driving instructor" to which Poppy nods. She quietly walks away. Next we see her and her flatmate rowing a boat, they are talking about her driving lessons, her flatmate saying she should have called the police, and Poppy disagreeing. Her flatmate talks of how she should give up smoking, Poppy agreeing asks what she should give up. Her flatmate says: Trying to make everyone happy, claiming that it will never work. Poppy replies with "It doesn't hurt to try through" As it fades to black you can hear Poppy talk on the phone to Tim- clearly joking once again making plans to see each other.

My thoughts- Very funny- cheerful movie. I like that this represented a movie someone who was perpetually cheerful- without making them dimwitted or naive. Sally Hawkins- won a golden globe for her portrayal. I feel that Scott was spot on and his reactions all seemed genuine. Tim- was oddly attractive- cute in a way only British men can be- but the accent makes up for a lot. I seriously wanted the movie to go on for like 30 more minutes, I wasn't ready for it to stop when it did.